Mandelson reiterated that "the EU is prepared, if the
circumstances are right, to significantly improve our offer in agricultural
market access".

However American farmers, have criticised the WTO's
call for the US to further reduce its agriculture subsidies to help revive
struggling global trade talks.

Bob Stallman, president of the
American Farm Bureau Federation, said proposed figures for subsidy and tariff
cuts cited by WTO were unacceptable because they would result in economic losses
for the United States' farm producers.

Stallman said US agriculture
would reject any trade deal that would force Washington to significantly cut
back on government handouts to farmers without providing "real market access"
opportunities for exports in return.